Method and apparatus for printing surfaces having line depressions

ABSTRACT

A HEAVY PAPERBOARD SCORE MARK PRINTER FOR INFLATION UNDER A FLEXIBLE PRINTING DIE TO CARRY THE PRINT INTO AND ACROSS THE SCORE MARK OR DEPRESSION THEN DEFLATE FOR REINKING THE PRINTING DIE WHEN HAVING A CIRCULAR SURFACE AND SYNCHRONIZING THE INFLATING AND DEFLATING OPERATIONS WITH THE MOVEMENT OF THE SCORE MARK UNDER THE INFLATED PRINTER.

Sept. 20, 1971 p E 3,605,616

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PRINTING SURFACES HAVING LINE DEPRESSIONS FiledSept. 8, 1969 3 Q I j I l f" m 1 mL f uno ah M Li bvvsuroe. RALPHARIMM/EE Y C420 THE/25 (hear/4519s H15 A r ram/E vs United States PatentMETHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PRINTING SURFACES HAVING LINE DEPRESSIONS RalphA. Pannier, McCandless Township, Allegheny County, Pa., assignor to ThePannier Corporation Filed Sept. 8, 1969, Ser. No. 856,106 Int. Cl. B41f13/10 US. Cl. 101-216 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A heavypaperboard score mark printer for inflation under a flexible printingdie to carry the print into and across the score mark or depression thendeflate for reinking the printing die when having a circular surface andsynchronizing the inflating and deflating operations with the movementof the score mark under the inflated printer.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION Heavy paperboard has score marks for differentpurposes. Such score marks appear on flat paperboards cut for formingcartons and boxes and advertising folds and the like and normally passunder a printing die without receiving the continuity of the printing inthe score mark. This provides an undesirable appearance and visuallyaccentuates the position of the score mark. 1

SUMMARY OF INVENTION The principal object of this invention is themethod and apparatus for printing into a score mark or depression whileprinting the desired surface area of previously score marked heavypaperboard.

Another object is the provision of method and apparatus for extending aflexible printing die to print into the score mark of a printing boardpassing thereunder and retracting the'die for inking.

Another object is the provision of a control for timing the operation ofthe printing die and the movement of a heavy paperboard to synchronizethe extension of the printing die with the heavy board score mark to beprinted upon.

Another object is the provision of an inflatable score mark member toextend a flexible printing die into a score mark to print in the same.

Another object is the provision of means for varying the time duringwhich inflation and deflation occurs during one cycle of a score markmember under a rotary printing die on a printing roll.

Other objects and advantages appear in the following description andclaims.

The accompanying drawings show, for the purpose of exemplificationwithout limiting the invention or the claims thereto, certain practicalembodiments illustrating the principles of this invention wherein:

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic view partly in side elevation and partly insection illustrating a rotary printing drum carrying a flexible printingdie and an inflatable score mark printer thereunder.

FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic end view partly in section showing the printingdrum carrying a flexible printing die about to engage the ink transferroll and showing the relative position of the cam and switch.

FIG. 3 is a diagrammatic sectional view showing the inflatable scoremark member expanded to print in a score mark in the passing paperboard.

Referring to the drawings the printing drum 1 is supported by the axialshaft members 2 and 3 secured in the ends 4 that enclose the drum andprovide rigidity for said shaft members which are supported by stands 5and 6. The shafts 2 and 3 are journalled in suitable bearings 9,

ice

which may be of the sleeve or antifriction type. The printing drum isdriven by the variable speed motor 7 connected by a drive means 8 to theshaft 3 to drive the same. The motor 7 is connected to the controlmechanism 10 by means of the cable 11 and the control box 10 is alsoconnected to the speed mechanism 13 having rollers 19 associated withpaperboard 14. This speed mechanism may be associated with the drive ofthe paperboard 14 or merely an electric tachometer or a combination ofboth; however, it relates to the movement of the board relative to therotation of the drum to synchronize the positioning of the score markmember 15 longitudinally disposed under the printing die 16, which isattached to or otherwise stretched taut and connected to the face of thecylindrical drum 1.

A back-up roll 17 is provided to rotatably support the heavy paperboardas it passes between the printing roll 1 and the back-up roll 17. Asshown at 18 in FIG. 2, the score mark is indented. In the paperboard 14,it may be slightly bulged toward the underside facing 29, but whenprinted, the back roll 17 supports this back facing 29 and, thus, causesthe extended portion 20 of the die 16 to print in the score mark 18 bythe inflation of the inflatable score mark printing member 15.

In order to prevent this score mark printing member 15 from bulging thedie 16 when deflated, an arcuate trough 21 is provided axially of thecylindrical printing drum 1. This groove receives the score printingmember 15 and it fills the groove when deflated to fully support the diesurface 16 when engaging the inking or ink transfer roll 22 rotatablysupported and driven to transfer and ink the surface of the die 16 as itcomes into engagement therewith before it approaches the printingposition at the bottom of the drum, where the die 16 has rolling contactwith the hard and scored paperboard 17.

Any means may be constructed to provide fluid pressure to the scoreprinting member 15. It may be internally of the drum 1 but the simplestform is the provision of a bore 23 in the shaft 2 connected by the tube24, preferably threadably secured laterally into the bore 23, andfastened adjacent the periphery of the end member 4 by the support 25which rigidly holds the tube 24 in place.

An attaching means 26 connects the expandable and inflatable scoreprinting member 15 to the end of the tube 24 which may be leak-proof ormay permit a suflicient fluid exhaust to require the maintenance of asubstantial pressure during the printing time with a leak-off so thatwhen the fluid pressure is reduced materially the score printing willcollapse without depending upon the valve discharge.

The fluid pressure is delivered to the bore 23 by the stationary headconnection 27 having a sealed rotary connection thereto. The head 27 isconnected by the tube 28 to the valve 30 having an exhaust 31 in itsspring biased normal position with the supply of fluid pressure blockedoff. Valve 30 is energized by the switch 32 through the line 33 which isoperatively connected to the valve operating mechanism 34.

The electric valve operating solenoid 34 moves the valve to the left inFIG. 1 to align the energizing port 35 with the fluid supply line 36connected to the fluid pressure supply through the regulator 37.

The shaft 2 is provided with a cam 38 having a properly designed lobe tostrike the lever supported wheel 40 on the switch 32 to operate thevalve 30 to inflate the rib printing member 15. As shown in FIG. 2, thelobe 41 for actuating the switch 32 is shown substantially out of phasewith its operating position but the intermediate portion of the lobe 41will be operating the switch 32 before and after the synchronousposition for printing through the score mark 18 on the board 17, thecenter of which is shown in FIG. 3. Generally, flexible printing dies,such as indicated at 16, are backed with a fabric to resist stretch orelongation by tension. In the preferred embodiment, a slot is removedfrom this fabric for the insertion of member 15 which in this instancemight be a flexible and expandable tube which is pretensioned orprestretched in its longitudinal direction such that it will only expandlaterally thereby preventing printing distortion in its longitudinaldirection along the die printing surface.

I claim:

1. The method of printing in a depressed score mark while printing aheavy paperboard which comprises the steps of inserting and retaining anexpandable score mark inflatable member under a flexible printing die ona rotary printing roll, adjusting the rotary die to position theinflatable score mark member to coincide with the score mark in thepaperboard as it passes under the rotating die for printing, inflatingthe inflatable member for a timed period to expand the flexible printingdie into the score mark to carry the print on the printing die into thescore mark of the paperboard.

2. The method of claim 1 characterized by confining the location of theinflatable score mark member and causing that portion of the die to beeflective in the score mark of the paperboard.

3. The method of claim 1 characterized by the step of timing theinflation pressure period of the inflatable score mark member for alimited arcuate period of the cycle of rotation of the die to engage inthe score mark, and releasing the inflation pressure for the remainderof the cycle of rotation to flatten that portion of the die tocylindrical shape.

4. The method of claim 3 characterized by the step of inking the diewhile in its cylindrical shape and said inflatable score mark member isdeflated.

'5. The method of claim 1 characterized by the step of timing theinflation period includes the step of setting a cam on the rotaryprinting roll, positioning a switch to be engaged by the cam, andconnecting the switch for controlling a valve to admit fluid underpressure to inflate the inflatable score mark member for the properduration of printing in score mark of the paperboard,

6. A heavy papeboard score mark printer comprising a driven printer drumrotatably supported on axial shaft means and carrying a flexibleprinting die characterized by an axially disposed inflatable score markmember extending between said flexible printing die and said drum,inflation of said score mark member causing an outward displacement of aportion of said printing die, and timing means to expand said inflatablescore mark member in tuned relation to synchronize with the passing of ascore mark in said heavy paperboard passing in printing engagementtherewith.

7. The score mark printer of claim 6 characterized by groove means insaid printer drum to receive said deflated score mark member to preventexpansion of said flexible printing die.

8. The score mark printer of claim 6 characterized by a cam on saidshaft means, a switch means mounted to be engaged by said cam means toinflate and expand said inflatable score mark member and cause saidflexible die to print in the score mark in said heavy paperboard.

9. The score mark printer of claim *8 characterized by an electricallyoperated fluid valve means connected to a source of fluid pressure andwhen energized by said switch means to energize said valve and supplyfluid under pressure to said inflatable score mark member and when saidswitch means is de-energized to discharge the fluid therefrom.

10. The score mark printer of claim 9' characterized by an inking rollerrotatably supported to engage and transfer ink onto said printing diewhen rotating in engagement therewith and when said score mark member isdeflated.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,166,138 7/1939 Gundlach 10l376X2,475,524 7/1949 Scott et al. 101-376 3,106,891 10/1963 James 1013763,129,662 '4/ 1964 Pinkerton 101375X 3,269,421 8/ 1966 Telford et al.118205X ROBERT E. PULFREY, Primary Examiner A. E. KOPECKI, AssistantExaminer US. Cl. X.R.

